Gameday Thread: Baylor vs. Kansas

BAYLOR (0-8) at Kansas (1-7)

Memorial Stadium | 11 a.m. CT | Fox Sports

Depth Chart | Class Breakdown | Schedule | Big 12 Standings | Baylor Staff | Baylor Roster

Charlie Brewer's first start can signal the future

A quick look around the Big 12, there's precedent for freshmen gunslingers taking the team by storm after that first start. Some like Texas Tech's Davis Webb shoved their competition off campus. Webb received the same treatment from Pat Mahomes a couple years later. Mason Rudolph lost his first start in a trip to Waco but battled enough to show he was the future of Oklahoma State- he's now a Heisman contender.

Closer to home, Baylor's relied on freshmen QBs to take the reigns the past two seasons with Jarrett Stidham and Zach Smith in light of injuries. Now it's Brewer's moment to take over for Smith. He's flashed greatness with performances like the 23-point fourth quarter to nearly down West Virginia. But a stellar outing against Kansas could shake up the system that was already hesitant to name a starter before the season.

If Baylor escapes with a win on Brewer's back, a decision to push Smith back under center would definitely come with pushback. It's a catch-22. Does the true freshman take the job indefinitely and keep Smith sidelined, presumably into next season? Matt Rhule has kept the job an open competition since arriving and that won't change no matter the week, it seems. But it's hard to imagine Smith, one season Brewer's elder, holding a significant role if Brewer continues to shine. It's not like the OSU situation that kept J.W. Walsh as a Wildcat QB with Rudolph starting or Texas' similar situation with Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard. The future could be shown Saturday.

SIDENOTE STORYLINE

Weak Kansas offensive line sets up Baylor defense for big day

Like Baylor's season, there isn't just one point of weakness with Kansas. But if there's an area to exploit, it's the Jayhawks' inexperience at offensive line.

Kansas starters and backups are virtually entirely underclassmen. Transfer senior Jayson Rhodes and junior Larry Hughes are the only available upperclassmen but are just as inexperienced as their younger counterparts. In total, Kansas has allowed 59 tackles for loss this season, only Baylor has allowed more. Though, Kansas has struggled the most since October allowing a conference-worst 34 TFLs along with nine sacks.

Baylor's defense hasn't achieved the most pressure but will be a perfect time to change that narrative even without leading tackler Clay Johnston. The focus should stay on Ira Lewis whose 7.5 TFLs already ties his mark last season. He'll face Kansas' top blocker, redshirt sophomore center Mesa Ribordy whose teammates have praised as the offense's most important player. He returned from injury last week and proved to be a true test for Kansas State's interior defenders.

But Baylor still has freshman standout James Lynch to send pressure along with Lewis. His two sacks through the last two weeks are tied for the most among Big 12 freshmen. More pressure should come off the edge with Brian Nance and Eric Ogor who's quickly working into a larger role on the strong side. Unless Kansas has found a quick fix, it's the edge defenders that should produce the biggest bruises.

Kansas State's Jayd Kirby forced three fumbles on four tackles for loss, taking advantage of Kansas' weak edge protection last week. That bodes well for Baylor and gives a chance for other rushers like Greg Roberts to shine beyond special teams work (he leads the Big 12 with two blocked kicks).

MATT RHULE QUOTE OF THE WEEK

On finding success in the form of a victory...

“I definitely want them to win. I want them to win for them. I want them to be rewarded for all the effort and progress and everything that they’ve done. But you also have to understand what it takes to win. I know we want it to be easy, and when you’re way more talented than a team, you can do some fun things and win the game. But when you’re here or slightly below the other team, you have to play really well. You can’t have a pick-six and then a fumble and then a penalty and then two penalties and then a missed assignment. You just can’t do that. You can’t be down 7-0 and get a punt return at the 20 and then hit a guy in the back five seconds later. You can do that when you’re way better than the other team, but you can’t do that when you’re even. It’s just trying to get our guys to understand that, in order to win, we can’t beat ourselves. I use the word “process,” and people say it and kids say it. I listen to Matt Campbell talk to his team after beating the number four team and the number three team, and all he did was talk about the process and how they went from 3-9 to a top-15 program because the kids are tough and they believe and they do what’s right. So that’s what our kids are doing. They’re trying it and working through it. They get in the games sometimes and freak out a little bit, but if we can just keep pushing forward, eventually they’ll win, and it’ll be a true victory. They will have earned that victory. They’ve done it right off the field and they’ve done it right on the field. That’s what I want for them.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jim Black Charlie Brewer With Zach Smith nursing a sore shoulder, freshman Charlie Brewer will get the first start of his career against Kansas on Saturday morning. Limited with an injury himself, Brewer will need to use his athletic ability to help open up running lanes for the running backs against a Kansas defense that has struggled defending the run the last four weeks, giving up 220 yards per game over the last five games and 16 total touchdowns on the ground.

Jim Black Blake Lynch After being called to the defensive side of the ball to start the year when the Bears were thin because of injuries, Blake Lynch will very likely be called back to the offensive side of the ball this week as the Bears are down to three scholarship receivers who are healthy enough to play. Lynch's permanent home is on defense, but he is familiar with the offense enough after playing there in the spring and summer.

Jim Black Lenoy Jones Jr. Sophomore Clay Johnston is out the remainder of the season with a foot injury, leaving a starting position to fellow sophomore Lenoy Jones Jr. Jone, who missed time earlier in the season with an injury of his own, has received plenty of experience in recent weeks as well as last fall. Jones will need to help replace the playmaking ability left behind by Johnston by being steady.

Jim Black Defensive Line When Kansas begins to find their way on offense it typically starts the ball rolling. If the Bears want their shot to win the game, the defensive front must not allow the Jayhawks to find a rhythm early and get to the quarterback when needed. The unit has shown flashes on occasion but will need to help an offense that is trying to find its way once again.